


a family starts with two

by breakmystrings



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Drunk Sex, Falling In Love, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-12-16 01:22:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21027938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/breakmystrings/pseuds/breakmystrings
Summary: On July 1st, John comes home.Or, the story of the summer where John falls in love, gets married, and signs a contract with his childhood team; not necessarily all in that order.





	a family starts with two

**Author's Note:**

> **Theme Song: [Ever Enough by A Rocket to the Moon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1oZxl2fF8M)  
**   
**First Dance: [Marry Me by Train](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyto0Zhi154)  
**

The news drops when they’re sitting on the tarmac and waiting for takeoff. John expected this, that’s why he chartered a flight for them, but the rate at which his phone is blowing up with notifications for messages and emails and phone calls still manages to surprise him. He thought he expected the worse. Apparently the worse when it comes to anything related to Toronto is multiplied by tenfold. Without even looking, John can tell that Mitch’s phone is no different. He can hear the continuous vibration of new notifications, not slowing down in the least. Mitch’s brows are furrowed as he looks at it, swiping rapidly like he can’t even be bothered to read some of the messages, and he finally shakes his head with a bit of a laugh before he tucks it away. He looks up at John and smiles uncertainly.

“Guess it’s out.”

John snorts. That’s an understatement. He looks down at his phone to see the breaking news notification.

**NEWS: **The Toronto Maple Leafs would like to congratulate forwards John Tavares and Mitch Marner on their recent marriage. They request for privacy at this time as they take time to themselves to celebrate this joyous occasion. They look forward to playing together in the upcoming season. No further comments will be provided at this time.

John almost wants to chuckle at how casual and nonchalant the press release is, like it’s no different than announcing a depth signing, like John’s life didn’t take a completely different turn when he put pen to paper that day.

“No turning back now,” John says, tucking his own phone back into his pocket.

Mitch huffs out a laugh. “Yeah, no turning back.” Mitch looks down at his hands and he starts playing with the ring on his finger. It’s too big so it spins easily when he touches it, twisting and turning like he’s trying to examine it. It makes John want to look down at his own, the shiny metal that’s unblemished and almost too perfect, not quite fitting right, but the weight of it feels significant.

Mitch breaks John out of his thoughts when he asks, “You mind if I sleep?” He’s holding onto a pair of headphones, and he looks awkward and uncertain, like he’s not quite comfortable. John doesn’t blame him. This isn’t the same as them meeting and hanging out as new teammates.

John tries to smile reassuringly at him, but his face feels tight and unnatural. “Go ahead. I’ll probably doze for a bit too.” That’s not exactly a lie. It’s been a whirlwind the last few weeks, going from wanting to stay in Long Island to seeing what other options were out there to finally deciding that now is the right time to move on and start something new. Not to mention a lightning quick wedding in the most hockey crazed market there is. “Whirlwind” might’ve understated it.

“Cool.” Mitch puts his headphones on, pushes his seat back, and leans back as his eyes fall shut. John does the same.

First day of married life. It’s not exactly what John expected, but it’s a start.

*

The weather in Maui is perfect: sunny and warm with a light breeze that feels more refreshing than stifling. They get a car to their resort and the coastal drive takes their breath away. Mitch looks completely mesmerized by the scenery around them. John can’t blame him. He feels the same. The view is absolutely stunning. Bright blue skies, crystal clear waters, and lush green forests; it’s _beautiful_.

It’s late afternoon by the time they get to the resort. They’re greeted by two people addressing them by name and offering them champagne glasses filled with something pink. Mitch looks delighted by it, and they thank them both as they take the glass. It’s fruity and bubbly, sweeter than John normally likes, but Mitch definitely looks like he’s enjoying it with the big smile on his face.

They get a personal tour of the grounds, and John doesn’t miss the way Mitch’s eyes light up in excitement when they talk about all of the different activities they can arrange for them, either on site or off site if they don’t mind travelling. John had already made some tentative plans for them, just in case they needed something to fill the gaps between them, and it looks like it won’t go to waste; Mitch seems excited to try everything.

“Dinner will be served shortly at the restaurant. We’ve reserved a special table for the two of you, to congratulate you on your marriage,” their guide says with a warm smile. “I will show you to your accommodations now. Feel free to come out for dinner whenever you’re ready.”

John doesn’t know if she meant for the hidden inuendo, but he nods his head in appreciation anyway.

The bungalow they get is in the far corner of the resort with a spectacular view of the water. It’s got all the amenities that John expects, with the huge spacious room, king-sized bed, sitting area, hot tub, and a patio with privacy walls so that they won’t be bothered by the other guests. It’s perfect.

John thanks the guide, and he can feel the mood shift when the door shuts behind her and it’s just the two of them left. It’s not uncomfortable, but the air feels a bit heavier, a bit more present, enough so that John can’t just ignore it. 

“You hungry yet?” John asks.

“I can eat,” Mitch says, which isn’t really an answer, but John will take it as one.

“I’m just going to change and then we can go?”

Mitch nods his head. “Sounds good.”

They bump shoulders when they try to get past one another to use the washroom. It’s not the awkward dance like when John runs into strangers on the streets as they try to sidestep one another, but it’s close. Mitch huffs out a soft laugh when they knock into each other again. John feels hyperaware of his presence but somehow they’re completely out of sync, and Mitch shakes his head, like he’s trying to shake the awkwardness away from them.

“You first,” Mitch says, and he steps back to let John through.

It’s not perfect, but at least they’re both trying, so John will take it.

*

Dinner is at a nice outdoor restaurant with a view of the water behind them. They get a private table off to the side where there’s a perfect view of the sunset. It seems like a scene from a movie, but John doesn’t have the butterflies in his stomach or the eruption of feeling inside of him. It still takes his breath away as he watches the skies get painted over in vibrant colours of reds, pinks and purples that fade into the dark night.

When John turns back to face Mitch, he looks just as mesmerized as John. He has this look of awe on his face when he looks back at John, like he still can’t quite believe this is real. Neither of them say anything for a long time, and John is so grateful that the food is served at that moment to break whatever moment was transpiring between them, one borne out of awkwardness and not something more. This reminds John too much of awkward first dates, but they _have_ to make it work because they’re married now, this isn’t a situation they can just walk away from, and John really does want it to work. He’s heard so many great things about Mitch, even before all the different contract offers, and John feels like it would be on him if he couldn’t make it work. 

The server fills both of their glasses with champagne, and John lifts his glass like an offer. Mitch smiles and picks up his own glass and taps it gently against John’s.

“Happy wedding day,” Mitch says, and his smile is warm and kind as he watches John.

“Happy wedding day,” John repeats, and adds, “and to new beginnings.”

Mitch’s smile widens as he nods his head, and it’s not much, but it sparks the hope inside of John anyway.

*

John discovers that Mitch gets the giggles when he’s drunk, all tipsy and wide smiles that brighten up his face. He keeps insisting that he’s not drunk, but he struggles to do basic things like walk in a straight line and nearly pokes his eye out when he tries to touch his nose. It makes John laugh when he watches him, which makes Mitch giggle even more, and it’s like this endless cycle of giddiness as they stumble back to their bungalow together. John feels loose and warm from all the alcohol, and he feels high off of all the decisions he’s made to get to this point.

He’s a Maple Leaf. He’s a Toronto-fucking-Maple-Leaf. John can’t believe it. He can’t imagine telling himself this twenty years ago when he was still a kid sleeping with his Maple Leafs bedsheets and waking up at five in the morning for tournaments. 

Mitch makes a startled noise that erupts into giggles. John looks over and sees him star-fished on the bed, shoes still on and smiling with a hint of embarrassment colouring his already flushed cheeks even more.

“Whoops?” He giggles some more, all flushed skin and wide eyes, looking up at John with this openness that makes something stir in the bottom of his stomach. He looks warm and inviting and John would be a liar if he said he wasn’t attracted to him. They wouldn’t be here otherwise. 

Hell, looking at Mitch right now, he doesn’t know anyone that _wouldn’t_ be attracted to him.

John climbs onto the bed and lies down right next to Mitch. Mitch turns towards John immediately, like there’s a magnet pulling them together. He’s looking at him, his expression almost curious as he stares. His face is still flushed, his eyes wide and open as he looks at John, and John can’t help moving in closer, slowly. He searches for anything on Mitch’s face that would make him pull back, but there’s nothing as he stares back patiently. The tip of his tongue sweeps over his lip, making it slick and perfect, and John closes the distance between them and kisses him.

It’s a light touch, just this careful press of their lips together, not really different from when they were at the makeshift altar and pronounced husband and husband. When John pulls back, Mitch is still looking at him. He looks warm and pliant, like he’s content to follow John’s lead right now, and John can’t resist moving in for another kiss, this time deeper and harder, as he slides his tongue past Mitch’s lips, twisting it together with his that makes a shiver run down his spine.

Mitch responds beautifully, this little hitch in his breath before he melts into the kiss, like it’s everything he’s been waiting for, and it makes John want to get closer and closer, until he’s rolled them over so that Mitch is on his back and John can feel the warmth of his body against his chest. He tries to prop himself up so that Mitch isn’t taking his full weight, but it’s too easy to press closer, to lean in even more until there’s no space left between them.

John slides his hand down Mitch’s sides, his fingers slipping under his shirt so that he can feel his warm skin. Mitch makes a pleased sound into the kiss and John wants to keep chasing it, to draw even more of those sounds out of him, and he keeps kissing Mitch, deeper and deeper until he can’t even breathe anymore.

They pull apart after a while. It could’ve been ten minutes, it could’ve been ten seconds; John doesn’t have a good grasp on the passage of time right now. All he can hear is the sound of their heavy breaths, the fan above their heads that keeps spinning, and John squeezes Mitch’s waist because he doesn’t know the play from here. He’s so turned on he doesn’t know what to do.

“Can I?” He asks, his voice coming out much more breathless than he expected. Mitch nods his head so fast and hard that John would worry about whiplash if it didn’t startle a laugh out of him with his eagerness. John kisses him again, slow but deep, as he explores Mitch’s mouth with his tongue. Mitch whimpers softly into the kiss, his hips bucking up to meet John’s, and he can feel how hard he is already. It’s almost reassuring, and definitely hot, that Mitch is as into this as he is, looking just as desperate as John is to touch and to _feel_. His hands keep finding their way back to his warm skin, soft under his touch, stretched over his lean lines of muscle.

John’s never been in a situation like this before, where there’s the newness of a random hookup, but also the expectation of something more. He doesn’t know what makes Mitch tick, what will make him moan and cry out, but John feels this thrill in his bones and he’s excited to find out. He thinks about Mitch’s profile, the section on his sexual history, and John really wants to make this as good as he can for him. He keeps kissing Mitch as he works the button and zipper free of his pants and slides his hands into his boxers. He swallows the moans that escape Mitch’s lips as his hand strokes his cock and gets a good rhythm going.

Mitch squirms under him, his hips moving with John’s hands, and John has to pull away from the kiss so that he can watch the different emotions dance over Mitch’s features. His face flushes impossibly red, his lips parted as he draws in short breaths, and his eyes never leave John’s, like he’s a puzzle he’s trying to figure out. It’s way hotter than John expected, and he can feel the blood rush through him as he watches Mitch’s face. He wants to see Mitch’s face when he comes. Is he going to as loud as he is in the locker room, like all the stories John’s heard? Or is he going to come on a quiet gasp that will echo in the room, as clear as a bell tower in a crowded market when the hand strikes the hour?

It doesn’t take much, a quick twist and flick of the wrist, and then Mitch is coming underneath him. He throws his head back with a gasp, his teeth biting down on his lips like he’s trying to quiet the sounds he’s making, and John feels his dick get even harder from the sight. He feels like he’s halfway there before anyone’s even touched his dick. He makes quick work of his pants, pushing them down just enough so that he can get his hand on his dick, and he can’t help the relieved sound that comes out when he finally relieves the pressure. He doesn’t do anything fancy, just keeps a quick and efficient rhythm. He just needs to come.

Mitch’s eyes clear from his post-orgasm haze the second John gets his hands on himself. He puts his hands on John’s hips, his eyes going wide as he watches, and that sends another thrill down John’s spine. He wants to put on a show for Mitch, but he also just really needs to come, right _now_.

When he finally does, he comes so hard that it feels like he was just hit with a brick wall, making a complete mess between them. He tips over beside Mitch on the bed, taking extra care not to squash him as he tries to catch his breath. His hand feels gross and he wipes it onto his own shirt without thinking (he’ll deal with it in the morning). Mitch turns over onto his side to look at him, and the sight of Mitch disheveled but fully dressed makes the laughter bubble out of him. God, John hasn’t done it this messy in a long time, and of course, that’s what he does on his wedding night.

Mitch giggles softly, mostly looking confused like he doesn’t get the joke but he wants in anyway, and John leans in to kiss him again. They trade slow, lazy kisses until his eyelids feels too heavy and their lips go slack with sleep.

*

John wakes up the next morning uncomfortably warm with the sun shining down on his face. He’s still wearing the same clothes as the night before, which he thinks he needs to throw away now from how crusty it feels from the come and sweat. There’s a dull throb in the back of his skull that makes him squint against the light. Fuck, he hasn’t been this hungover in a long time.

He rolls over onto his back, and he sees Mitch still asleep behind him, curled up close but not touching, this fuzzy ball of a person as John struggles to focus on his surroundings. When his vision clears, he can see the way Mitch’s face is still slack with sleep, his hair a complete mess, but he looks peaceful.

That lasts for another few seconds before his face scrunches up suddenly, and he’s groaning out loud as he grabs his head with his hands.

“Oh my lord, am I _dying_?” His voice is pitched high into a raspy whine. John chuckles in response, even if he’s also feeling the effects of all the champagne and wine they drank last night.

“Not yet,” John says, patting Mitch’s arm gently, but he misses and touches Mitch’s shoulders instead. Close enough.

Mitch looks up at him, squinting so much that John wonders if he can actually see anything, and he shuts them immediately as he tucks himself tighter into the fetal position, his pillow clutched tightly in his arms like a lifeline.

“My head is _killing _me,” Mitch whines, and it makes John chuckle again as he reaches out to run his fingers through Mitch’s hair. He flinches, and John feels like it like a splash of cold water on his face. Did he overstep? He’s just about to pull back when Mitch suddenly leans into the touch. John slowly, carefully, pets Mitch’s hair for a while, his touches becoming more confident when Mitch sighs contently. John rubs his thumb over his temple in an attempt to soothe the pain. He doesn’t know if it works, but Mitch relaxes, and he manages to fall back asleep despite the brightness in the room.

John gives him one more gentle pat on the head before he gets up to shower.

*

Mitch is up and browsing through the food menu in the sitting area when John steps out in a bathrobe. He looks up at John when he approaches and offers a small smile. He looks much more awake and alive than before, but that doesn’t say much.

“You hungry?” John asks, and as if on cue, Mitch’s stomach starts growling. It makes them both laugh and John’s not feeling alive enough to wander outside into the sun. “Want to order room service instead of heading out?”

“Up to you,” he says, even if it looked like he was thinking the same thing earlier. “I’m good with either.”

“I’ll order if you want to hop in the shower first,” John decides, and it looks like the right call judging by how Mitch’s shoulders seem to relax and his smile brightens.

“Cool.” Mitch gets up, wincing, as he stretches his arms high above his head. John can see the streaks of dried come on Mitch’s shirt and his face goes warm when he thinks about last night. He distracts himself with the menu Mitch left behind, and he flips back and forth between the pages only to settle on ordering half the menu anyway.

The food and drinks are carted in just as Mitch steps out of the room dressed in only a bathrobe as well. He beams when he sees the food, and he immediately picks up a piece of toast off the plate and devours it in less than three bites. The noise he makes after is _obscene_.

“Oh my god, so good,” he says blissfully. John is pretty sure that’s the hangover talking, but he digs in too. They devour everything in a record time. They don’t even bother with small talk in between bites, but the silence isn’t uncomfortable. John sees Mitch eyeing the champagne curiously, a last minute impulse order, and he figures if they’re going to indulge anyway, they may as well go all the way.

“Want to pop the champagne?” John asks, feeling warm and full and content. Mitch perks up and nods. He takes the bottle from the ice bucket and he struggles with it, but he laughs delightedly when he manages to pop the cork and the champagne fizzes over his hand. John can’t take his eyes away from him when he catches the droplets with his tongue and licks his hand clean. Something warm stirs low in John’s belly at the sight.

He takes the generous glass from Mitch to distract himself and they tap them together with a cheers. It tastes sweet and dry, and John eyes the strawberries that are left on the fruit platter and takes one. He’s heard the pairing can be good and he’s not disappointed. He hums, pleased, as the sweetness from the strawberries harmonize perfectly with the champagne. When he looks over at Mitch, he’s watching him with an expression that John can’t read, but John can sense some interest and curiosity there. It gives him the courage to pick up another strawberry and offer it to Mitch.

Mitch looks surprised, but after a moment of hesitation, he covers John’s hand with his own. John’s not sure if it’s for leverage or something else, but it doesn’t matter when he leans forward and wraps his lips around the fruit. John wasn’t expecting that, and he feels a shiver go down his spine when his lips touch John’s fingers. It’s a cliché, but the moment feels charged when Mitch looks at him and all John can do for a long time is just _stare_.

John clears his throat after a while, and he lifts his glass as an offer. “It’s really good together,” John says when Mitch looks confused, his voice rough around the edges.

He expects Mitch to take the glass from him, but instead, he wraps both hands around John’s and tips the glass back into his mouth. John can see the long line of his neck as he tilts his head back, his skin looks soft and unblemished, and John can’t help thinking that’d be the perfect spot to leave a mark on. Would Mitch like it if he kissed him there? If he left a trail of kisses along his neck, biting down on the soft skin and marking him up where no one can see?

John snaps out of his thoughts when Mitch makes this surprised, pleased sound when he pulls away, his eyes wide and mouth open. “Oh _wow_.” His lips are slick and red from the strawberry, and John really, _really_ wants to kiss him, to see if he tastes as sweet as he looks. He puts the glass down and reaches out slowly for Mitch, watching his response.

Mitch doesn’t move, but he doesn’t pull away when John wraps his hand around his, and he comes easily when John tugs gently and he climbs on top of John’s lap. His face is flushed a beautiful pink, high on the apple of his cheeks, and John can’t help kissing them both. His skin is soft and warm against his lips, and he moves towards Mitch’s mouth, leaving a trail of kisses along his path. He starts from his cheek, to the lines where his smile start, to the corner of his mouth, and finally, covering his lips with his own. Mitch’s lips are soft against John’s, yielding easily to John, and it’s too tempting not to slide his tongue in and deepen the kiss, to taste the sweetness right off of Mitch’s tongue.

Mitch tastes just like he expects, sweet like strawberries and champagne, but there’s something more, something so inherently Mitch, that John can’t help wanting to chase that feeling, kissing him deeper and deeper until he can find it. He pulls Mitch in closer with his arms around his waist, until there’s little distance left between them. It’s too warm in the room with their robes on, but John doesn’t want to pull away, _couldn’t_ even if he tried.

John doesn’t know how long they kiss like that, but he has to pull back eventually, desperately needing to catch his breath like he just ran a marathon. Mitch’s cheeks are even pinker than before, his lips slick and red but not from the sweetness of the berries this time, and John feels his dick twitch when Mitch’s tongue sweeps over his lips, like he’s trying to get a taste, and John _has_ to kiss him again. He slides his hands through the part in his robe. He wants to feel closer to Mitch right now. His skin is so warm and smooth, and he traces his fingers over the lines of muscle.

It doesn’t take much to complete undo his robe, and it sends a thrill down John’s spine when all he can see and feel is Mitch’s smooth, warm skin. He doesn’t know where to start touching, where to start mapping every bump and curve on Mitch’s body who looks absolutely perfect on his lap right now. Mitch sucks in a deep breath when John slides his hands over his chest, his fingers brushing over his nipples, and John rubs circles around it with his thumb experimentally. Mitch squirms on his lap, biting down on his lips like he’s holding back. John wants to know what Mitch will be like completely unrestrained.

John slides his hands down his waist be he leans forward to get his mouth on Mitch’s skin, kissing and sucking gently from his shoulders down to his pecs, and Mitch gasps when John’s teeth brush over his nipples, not biting down hard, but John uses enough pressure that he’s sure Mitch can feel it. Mitch squeezes his shoulders hard enough to hurt and he’s completely hard, leaking at the tip already. It’s probably one of the hottest things John’s ever seen, how easy it is to get Mitch riled up. He slides his hand over the curve of his hip as he leans in to kiss Mitch again, stealing the breath right out of him. Mitch responds so beautifully to everything John does. He lowers his hand down to the curve of his ass, his fingers dipping between his cheeks but not going any further.

Mitch pulls back with a gasp, looking as surprised as John feels at his reaction, and his face is so, _so_ red when he drops his forehead against John’s and closes his eyes. When he finally opens them again, he looks shy and uncertain, biting down on his lips before he asks, “Do you, do you want to fuck me?”

John’s grip tightens before he even realizes what he’s doing. The thought of spreading Mitch out and fucking him until he’s crying out John’s name, it’s enough to make him lightheaded as all the blood rushes southward.

“Yes. Oh my god, _yes_,” John says, when it’s clear Mitch is waiting for an actual response. He smiles, pleased, and maybe a little shy too, the way he ducks his head and avoids John’s stare. He climbs off of his lap, and John follows him back to bed. Mitch turns back once, like he’s checking to make sure that John is following, and the gesture is so endearing that John has to stop and pull him in to kiss him again in the hallway.

When they step into the room, Mitch let’s his robe drop onto the ground and John feels like he just got checked into the boards, completely winded. Mitch lays down on his back, all stretched out and beautiful as he props himself up with his elbows like he’s presenting himself to John. John just stands there and gawks because he doesn’t know what else to do.

John always thought it was ridiculous, the concept of being faced with something so stunning that it’d take his breath away, but right now, he feels completed winded and breathless in the face of Mitch. Mitch is not like the typical hockey player, with a thick core and bulky thighs; he’s all long, lean lines, but John can see the ripples of muscle when he moves. John can feel the strength of his body when he touches him, the hours of hard work he’s dedicated to being stronger and honing his craft. It makes him that much more attractive, knowing how hard he’s had to work to overcome his own disadvantages.

John let’s his own robe drop by the bed, and it’s an ego boost when Mitch’s eyes go wide with interest, his lips parting with a soft “oh”. John climbs on top of Mitch, straddling his legs and presses him back gently on the bed to kiss him again. He’s discovering that he really, really likes to kiss Mitch. He’s just so responsive, always letting John take the lead but he responds perfectly, like they’re completely attuned to each other with all their wants and needs. John’s dated other people before, some that he’s had better chemistry in bed with than others, but kissing Mitch is so easy. It’s like they skipped the learning curve and went straight to the master’s level. It makes his spine tingle with how good it is.

John slides his hands over Mitch’s body again, his lips not leaving Mitch’s as he explores all the places he didn’t before. Despite how skinny he is, Mitch doesn’t feel delicate or fragile. John has to pull back to marvel at his body, to catalogue everything he sees, the way he responds when John touches him. Last night felt rushed and desperate, but now, John wants to take his time, to treat Mitch right.

Mitch sucks in a deep breath when John’s hand slides down to his stomach, his thumb brushing over the tip of his dick. He smears the precome over the tip and Mitch’s eyes flutter close, his lips parted with a soft sigh. John curls his hand around his dick and gives it a few light tugs. Mitch bites down on his lips again, his hips bucking into John’s hands. He leans down to kiss Mitch again. He slides his tongue over Mitch’s lips and kisses him as deep as he can while he jerks him off, slow and steady.

It takes some maneuvering, but John nudges Mitch’s legs apart and slips between them. Mitch makes it easy by drawing up his knees and spreading them around John’s hips. He slides his other hand between Mitch’s legs, moving up his thigh, and it’s not much, he just circles the skin around Mitch’s rim, and Mitch jerks back from the kiss with a loud gasp, shaking and coming in John’s hand.

“Oh my god.” Mitch sounds absolutely horrified as he throws his arm over his face, like he’s trying to hide from John, even though that was one of the hottest things that John’s ever seen. God, Mitch is just so incredibly responsive. He can’t even imagine how good it’ll feel when he’s finally inside of him.

“Have you –“ John stops, his mouth suddenly feels too dry, and he has to clear his throat to continue. “Have you done this before?” He doesn’t want to embarrass Mitch, but he gets his answer when his face goes impossibly redder where John can see.

Mitch shakes his head stiffly. “Not with someone.”

John knew that, but somehow, he still feels completely bowled over hearing it from Mitch himself. He feels guilty over how turned on he is at Mitch’s admission, but mostly, it lights up something fierce inside of him, this desperate need to make this as good as possible for Mitch so that he doesn’t hurt him. He’s never been with someone so inexperienced before, that didn’t know exactly what they wanted from John in a way that made it incredibly attractive, but there’s something undeniably exciting about this too, to show Mitch all the different ways this can be good, and to learn what makes Mitch tick.

“Hey,” John says as he tugs Mitch’s arm away from his face. It’s so red, even if there’s nothing to be embarrassed about, and he keeps looking away from John. “If you can’t tell, I’m really into this.” He’s so hard already and Mitch hasn’t even touched him yet. If anyone should be embarrassed, it’s probably him.

Mitch’s eyes immediately flick downwards, widening slightly before looking back up at John’s face. He tries to give Mitch a reassuring smile, to put him at ease. 

“Let me take care of you,” he says, kissing Mitch gently on the lips. “Tell me if you need me to slow down.” Mitch nods his head, and John slides his hand down Mitch’s sides, trying to make it soothing enough to relax him.

John presses a kiss over his pulse. Mitch’s heart is racing, and John can feel every beat against his lips and he gasps when John uses a hint of teeth there and it ignites something inside him, this possessive edge that he’s not used to. He’s been careful not to leave marks on Mitch, but he can’t help asking himself if Mitch would’ve stopped him if he tried. Would he be into that? Would he want to show off that he’s John’s now, like the entire world doesn’t already know?

John shakes those thoughts from his head and focuses on making Mitch feel good instead. It doesn’t take long before he can feel Mitch get hard again, and John keeps kissing him as he grinds their hips together. He’s desperate for some contact, any kind of friction on his dick to help relieve some of the pressure. He’s reminded of what’s coming when Mitch bucks his hips up against John’s and his dick slides between his cheeks and the sound Mitch makes when the tip of his dick catches on his rim, John has to squeeze his eyes shut so that he doesn’t come before he can even get inside Mitch.

“I’ll be right back,” John says, feeling breathless already. He pats Mitch gently on the hip, this little comforting gesture. Mitch looks up at him, his pupils blown, cheeks flushed, lips parted, and his hair in complete disarray; he looks thoroughly debauched already, and the initial thrill John felt gets multiplied tenfold.

He climbs off of the bed and he nearly stumbled from how weak his knees feel as he shuffles over to his suitcase to grab the condom and lube. He had hesitated to pack them, not wanting to assume, but he’s so damn thankful that he did.

When he gets back to Mitch, he doesn’t miss the way Mitch’s eyes zero in on the box of condoms before looking up uncertainly at John. He thinks he gets what Mitch is thinking. They’re married now, and John knows they were both tested before he signed his contract and the results came back clean. John knew he would be even before he was tested, and he knows that Mitch hasn’t done much (if anything) with anyone else so John knows they’re safe. But again, assumptions. John tries not to make them if he can help it.

“Do you not want to use these?” John asks, and Mitch is silent for a moment before shrugging.

“Not unless you want to,” Mitch says, which is probably as close to an outright no as John’s going to get.

“Okay,” John says and he drops the box on the nightstand. Mitch smiles, almost relieved, and John makes a mental note to categorize all of Mitch’s little expressions so that John won’t misinterpret him in the future.

John uncaps the lube and squeezes a generous amount onto his fingers. He takes his time to warm it up as much as possible before he presses a single finger inside of Mitch. Mitch sucks in a deep breath, but he’s relaxed as he takes him in all the way. John goes slow, sliding his finger in and out slowly until there’s no resistance left before pushing in a second. And then a third.

Mitch breaths are coming in short after John adds a third finger, his hips pushing back onto John. John loves this part, where he can take his time to focus on his partner and on what makes them feel good. Mitch makes it easy by being so responsive to everything John does. He twists his fingers and curls them, and Mitch’s back arches right off the bed, gasping loudly as he fists the sheets in his hands. That goes straight to John’s dick, and sends this rush down John’s spine that almost makes him want to preen at making Mitch feel so good. He slides a soothing hand down his leg and he tries to hit the spot again. It takes a couple of tries, but it’s worth it when Mitch responds just as beautifully as before, clenching tightly around John’s fingers. John’s not going to last if this is what it feels like to be inside Mitch.

“Are you ready?” John asks, his voice rough and hoarse already, and Mitch nods his furiously. He’s relaxed enough that it’s easy to pull his fingers out. John grabs the lube again but he pauses when he sees Mitch spread out for him on his back. He wants to make sure Mitch is as comfortable as possible. “How do you want to do this? It’s usually easier on your stomach.”

“Okay,” is all Mitch says, his voice shaky, and he rolls over onto his stomach.

John stills as he takes in the sight of Mitch in front of him, the way his hips are angled upwards so that John can see where he’s slick and loose and waiting to be filled by John. John takes a deep, calming breath, and he grabs a pillow to tuck under Mitch’s hips. He presses a kiss just above the curve of his ass, unable to resists. He’s _beautiful_.

He squeezes some more lube onto his dick and he presses in slowly. He keeps himself propped up with his hands on either side of Mitch’s shoulders, and he takes a deep breath; it feels like it’s punched right out of him when he’s in all the way. It’s so hot and tight, and it takes all of his willpower to stay still, to not move and give as much time as Mitch needs to get used to the feeling. Mitch is breathing so hard, like he just ran a marathon, his breaths coming in short and quick as his hands flex on the sheets.

“You okay” John asks, worried, but the relief washes over him when Mitch nods his head immediately.

“s’good,” he mumbles. “Just, a lot.”

John nods his head, and then realizes that Mitch can’t see. “Let me know when you’re good, or if you need me to stop.” John rests his head against the back of Mitch’s neck, and he counts his breaths to keep himself calm so that he’s not tempted to move while Mitch takes time to adjust. He’s at twelve, even though it feels like a hundred, when Mitch taps his arm with his hand.

“I’m good,” Mitch says, his voice raspy.

John goes slow, pulling out almost all the way before he pushes back in. Mitch makes this sound, like the air is punched right out of him, and John squeezes his eyes shut to keep his body from jerking forward, from chasing after the release he’s been waiting for too long. Mitch makes these short, little gasps, like he’s surprised by the feel of every thrust, and it makes John feel daring enough to push harder, deeper, until he’s drawing out every loud gasping moan out of Mitch.

John’s not going to last, he’s been keyed up for too long, so he slides his hand under Mitch’s hips, and he reads John’s play perfectly by lifting them up so that John can jerk him off. He doesn’t make a show out of it, and it doesn’t take much until Mitch is coming with a loud moan, shaking apart in John’s arms and squeezing so tight around him. John thrusts once, twice, and then he comes so hard that he thinks he sees stars.

John braces himself with his elbows on either side of Mitch so that he doesn’t squash him with his weight. He feels like he just ran suicides, this bone deep exhaustion, and all the did was have sex. John doesn’t know whether to be alarmed at his lack of endurance or impressed with their sexual chemistry. Mitch is still trembling under him, like he’s still feeling the effects of his orgasms, and John tries to sooth him with a hand on his back. He’s not sure if it helps, but Mitch does relax under his touch.

When John finally catches his breath, he pulls out of Mitch slowly, his hand low on Mitch’s back for leverage. There’s lube smeared all over Mitch’s ass, and John can see the trickle of come leaking out. John definitely can’t go again so quickly, but that doesn’t stop his dick from making a valiant effort at getting hard again.

“Sorry,” John says, his thumb dipping between his cheeks just around his rim. Mitch twitches at the touch, like he’s still feeling sensitive and John eases his touch. “We’re going to have to clean you up.”

Mitch huffs out a startled laugh. He twists his head to look at John. He looks amused but he also looks bashful. He keeps looking at John though. He can’t tell what Mitch is thinking, but the look he’s giving John makes something warm fill his chest, this wave of fondness for Mitch that feels too new and strange but it’s there. He leans down to kiss Mitch so that he doesn’t have to think about what he’s feeling.

*

They clean themselves off quickly in the shower. There’s also a jacuzzi in their room and John catches Mitch eyeing it when he thinks John’s not looking so he fills it up and they soak in there for a while. It feels good with the jets on, and Mitch looks so relaxed and happy, his back turned towards John as he stares out the window at the view of the ocean. He keeps turning back to look at John though, like he’s trying to remind John or maybe himself that he’s there, and John can’t help smiling at how endearing the gesture is.

He moves to sit next to Mitch, and Mitch flashes him a smile before resting his chin on his folded arms. He keeps his gaze focused out the window, and he looks deep in thought.

“Everything okay?” John asks, and Mitch nods his head. He smiles again, and he doesn’t look unhappy or upset, but it still makes John ask, “How are you feeling?”

“Good,” Mitch says. His expression is soft, and his eyes are so blue, like the ocean right in front of them. “It was, it was really good.”

“It was really good for me too,” John says, in case it wasn’t clear before. He rests a hand on Mitch’s lower back, not trying anything but just wanting some contact.

Mitch leans into it and curls closer towards John, like he’s thinking the same thing.

*

John sucks Mitch off when he sits up on the edge of the tub, and Mitch returns the favour by jerking him off with his dexterous hands that seems to know exactly what John likes already. They don’t leave their room all day, mostly spending it in bed while John leans all the different ways to make Mitch come, but they fall asleep trading soft little kisses with their feet tangled together, and it feels like progress.

*

They sign up for a yoga class and go horseback riding the next day. John learns two things about Mitch:

1\. He’s absolutely fearless. Him and his horse take off at a speed that makes even their guide drop her jaw in awe, and John would be worried if he didn’t absolutely nail it. In the span of a few short hours, he’s managed to bond with his horse like they’ve been riding together for years. He hugs her at the end of their ride, petting her with a big smile on his face. It’s incredibly endearing.

2\. He’s really, _really _flexible. It’s not the time and place to be thinking about it, but it’s there at the forefront of his mind. John hasn’t popped an inappropriate boner in a long time, and it takes all of his effort to stop it from happening now.

It’s a good day. Mitch smiles a lot at dinner, and they share a bottle of wine with their meal while the sun sets behind them. The light reflects off of Mitch’s hair, and it casts a warm glow around him; when he smiles, John feels it like he’s the sun beaming down him.

*

Mitch is sitting out on the deck when John comes out of the shower. He looks small but comfortable as he curls up onto a chair while soft music is playing on his phone. He’s looking out at the ocean, and he looks relaxed with a soft smile on his face. John stands by the door, not wanting to break the moment, and he just watches Mitch for a while.

John isn’t sure how much time passes before Mitch notices him, but his smile widens when he sees him. John’s cheeks warm from being caught staring, but Mitch doesn’t seem to care, and he gives him a little wave. John steps closer and pushes the door wider so that he can step out into the cool night. He takes a seat on the chair next to Mitch’s, and makes himself comfortable.

“It’s really nice out there,” Mitch says after a while, still looking out at the water with a smile on his face. He really doesn’t stop smiling, always seems happy and content no matter what they’re doing.

“It is,” John agrees, still watching Mitch’s face. “Peaceful.”

Mitch chuckles softly. “Yeah, enjoy that while it lasts. It’s going to be crazy when go home.”

It’s crazy to think that “home” for John now, on and off the ice, is going to be the very place he dreamed of playing as a kid. “Home” used to be Long Island and Toronto, both occupying large parts of his heart, and while Long Island will continue to be a big part of him, “home” is now Toronto and the place him and Mitch will build for themselves. Maybe next summer, John can take Mitch to Long Island, and show him all the places he grew up with in the earlier part of his career.

John shakes those thoughts from his head. It’s too far away to think about now. He’s still not sure of the reception he’ll receive when he returns, but he’s hopeful that it’ll be with the memories of everything he’s done for the team and community in the last nine years, and not the change in direction he decided to take.

When John looks up, he sees Mitch watching him, his head tilted to the side with a curious expression on his face, but he doesn’t say anything, and turns back to looking out at the water. It’s quiet but not uncomfortable as the soft music keeps playing around them. The song switches to something John’s heard play at a lot of weddings, and it sparks something inside of him when he sees Mitch’s fingers drumming along to the beat against the armrest. It gives him an idea, and he stands up. Mitch’s eyes follow him and he looks confused.

“Stand up,” John says as he offers a hang out to Mitch. “We never got our first dance.”

Mitch huffs out a laugh in disbelief. “Seriously?”

“Yeah, didn’t you know, I’m always serious,” John deadpans. That gets him a brighter laugh, and Mitch is smiling wide as he uncurls from the chair and stands up. He puts his hand in John’s, and John pulls him in closer with an arm around his waist so that they can sway to the beat of the music and the sound of the rolling waves from the ocean.

It’s awkward at first. John hasn’t danced like this with any guys before, but Mitch makes it easy for him by letting him lead. Mitch’s eyes are bright and blue as he stares up at John, and John feels mesmerized by them as they dance. They’re moving slowly together, and soon enough, they fall into the same rhythm, their feet shuffling in sync with each other. It gives John hope that they’ll be this in synch on the ice as well.

Mitch steps closer to him partway through the song, and he rests his head on John’s shoulders. It feels too natural to curl his arms around Mitch’s waist and bring them closer together. He kisses the side of Mitch’s head and he marvels at the way their bodies fit together as the song continues around them.

_Marry me, today and every day._

*

They wake up before the sun rises the next day so that they can walk up to Waimoko Falls and beat the rush. Mitch goes from zombie-like to wide awake in the span of seconds. He even offers to drive while John struggles to keep his eyes open as he searches for coffee.

“You’re like a grumpy old man in the morning,” Mitch says, sounding delighted. John grunts at him and grabs his coffee. The smell of caffeine is enough to perk him up, and Mitch sings along to the radio as they drive along the coast. The sun is slowly rising and it gives the skies a warm glow. John stares out the window sleepily, trying to soak in as much of the beautiful view as possible.

It’s not a far drive from the resort, and John manages to wake himself up a bit with the coffee by the time they arrive. There are a few other cars there as well, but it looks like they should be able to keep to themselves. Mitch steps out of the car first, smiling as he stretches his arms up and breathes in deeply. John doesn’t know where he gets his energy from this early in the morning when John didn’t see him drink any coffee. It doesn’t bode well for their mornings together in the future.

“Let’s go,” Mitch says excitedly. He’s bouncing on his feet while John still feels sluggish as he gets out of the car. He rubs his face to try and wake up some more, and it’s easier to get into it once they start moving. Their air is nice and cool this early in the morning, and it feels good to breathe in the smell of the luscious green forest. John loves how clean and fresh the air smells. He feels energized with every breath he takes.

The pathway is clearly marked and well maintained so it doesn’t take long before they hit the first waterfall. It is _stunning_. Mitch’s mouth actually drops open at the sight of it.

“Wow…” Mitch looks amazed, and he insists on taking a picture of John in front of it. John isn’t a big fan of taking pictures, but Mitch seems excited so he indulges him. He stands on the rock in front of the falls and tries to pose, which means he puts both hands into his pockets and hopes he doesn’t look as awkward as he feels. Mitch takes a few pictures, constantly readjusting the angle of his phone like that’ll make John look less awkward. “Okay done.”

John offers to do the same for Mitch, but he insists on saving his poses for the big one.

“So I get the little one?” John asks, trying to look offended, but Mitch just smiles, all sweet and innocent, and John can’t bring himself to even pretend to be annoyed.

They continue deeper into the forest, and they stop along the way so that Mitch can take some pictures. The conversation stays light, mostly random observations about the various things around them, and it’s not all the way natural, like they’re still trying to fill the silence between them, but it’s not forced like John feels when he’s around strangers. It’s getting better, slowly but surely.

They get to the bamboo forest and Mitch gasps, like he didn’t to see this here. He looks amazed as he lets his hands brush over the smooth stalks and knocks on them, smiling delightedly at the hollow sound. John finds himself constantly endeared by everything Mitch does, the way his eyes light up as he takes in everything around them.

When they get to the main falls, John stops and sucks in a deep breath; it’s absolutely _magnificent. _He keeps looking up and up and _up_, until he finally sees the top, and it’s absolutely breathtaking. There are a few people there taking pictures already, and a few just hanging around, like they’re trying to soak in the sight in front of them. They take a few minutes to take everything in as well, and then Mitch turns around and passes John his phone.

“You have to get the entire falls in there,” Mitch says before he takes off to strike a pose in front of the falls. He tucks his hands into his pockets, but he looks good with a beaming smile. He changes his pose while John is struggling to get the perfect angle and the peace sign he gives makes John smile.

John ends up having to crouch down to get most of everything in the picture. He nearly falls over when he tries to lean back even more, and he gets a bunch of pictures of Mitch with his head thrown back and laughing. He shakes his head with a smile and pushes himself up off the ground.

“You looked like a dad trying to work new technology,” Mitch teases when John gets close, laughing still. John gives him a light shove, but Mitch is still chuckling as he takes his phone back and immediately scrolls through the pictures. He pauses when he gets to the ones of him laughing that John managed to get a close-up of, and he looks at John and stares for a few seconds before he ducks his head down, but John doesn’t miss the smile on his face.

“Okay, selfie time,” Mitch says, and he steps closer towards John so that he can get both of them in the same frame. They’re both wearing caps so it casts a shadow over their faces, but they’re both smiling and the falls are behind them as the sun brightens with every passing second.

They stay at the falls for a while, just sitting by the edge of it as they let the sound of the water hitting the rocks wash over them. John can feel the cool mist of water hit his face and it feels nice in contrast with the warm sun. The peace and quiet doesn’t last though, and John can hear more and more noise behind them as the sun moves higher.

“Should probably go before it gets too busy,” John says, and even though Mitch looks disappointed, he nods his head in agreement. They might be getting space at the resort, but John doesn’t want to bet on no one recognizing them out here in public. He tugs Mitch’s cap down, mostly to shield his face even more, but also to tease him for not wearing it properly. Mitch grumbles at him and readjusts it, but he keeps it lowered as they leave the falls. John thinks he sees a couple of people do a double take when they see them so John grabs Mitch’s hand so that he doesn’t lose him, and they pick up the pace and try not to draw attention.

They’re almost running by the time they get to their car, and the laughter bursts out of them.

“Did you see the look on that guy with his camera out? It was like TMZ chasing after a scoop,” Mitch says, laughing so hard that he’s shaking. “I thought he was going to chase us down for a quote. Thank God his partner was sane and held him back.”

The thought is enough to get another chuckle out of John. He looks down and that’s when he notices that they’re still holding hands. Mitch must notice too because he stops laughing, and it’s subtle, but John can feel him squeeze their hands. When John looks up, Mitch is smiling still, but it’s not the amused one from before. This one isn’t as wide. It’s small, almost private like they’re sharing a secret, and it makes John’s chest feel warm.

“Want to head back now?” John asks instead of focusing on the feeling inside of him. “Before TMZ guy comes after us?”

Mitch laughs and nods his head. John offers to drive them back, and he has to let go of Mitch’s hand when they get in the car.

His hand feels oddly empty on the drive back.

*

They have a proper breakfast at the restaurant and then head to the pool. Mitch wants to spend the day lounging on the chairs, which John has absolutely no objections to. He booked them both massages before dinner, but there’s nowhere else they need to be today. And after such a crazy summer, John relishes the peace and quiet.

John sprays the sunscreen all over his body before tossing it to Mitch. He scrunches up his nose in a way that reminds John of a bunny before he reluctantly does the same. It makes John laugh, and Mitch smiles winningly like that was his goal all along.

They spread out on two lounge chairs and John loses track of time as the sun warms up even more. His eyelids start to feel heavy, and John doesn’t fight it as he lets the sleep take over.

He’s not sure how much time has passed when he wakes up. The first thing he sees is Mitch looming over him. He jumps when John moves to fix his sunglasses that were sliding off when he was asleep. Mitch almost looks like he was caught doing something bad, and John can’t tell if the pink in his cheeks is from the sun or something else.

“I got us drinks,” Mitch says, like he’s trying to explain why he was hovering over John, like John cares about that. He gestures to the table where there’s two coconuts with umbrellas and straws in them, as well as two glasses of water. He didn’t even realize how parched he was until Mitch brought it up.

Mitch looks uneasy as he stands there, like he’s not sure if he should go back to his own chair now, and John feels something warm and fond flood his chest. He reaches out to grab Mitch’s wrist and tugs it gently until he’s close enough that John can curl his other hand around the side of his face and kisses him softly. Mitch pulls back, and John can’t see his eyes with his sunglasses on, but he exhales softly and John can’t help pulling him in again for another kiss.

The chair is barely made for two people, and definitely not two hockey players, but Mitch tucks himself easily along John’s sides and they make it work. It’s warm and a little sticky, but he likes the feel of Mitch pressed against him. It makes it easy to trade kisses like this, these quick, soft little presses of their lips. They eventually settle with Mitch’s head resting over John’s chest and his arm draped over John’s waist while John curls his arm around his middle.

John closes his eyes and let’s the slow rise and fall of Mitch’s chest against his lull him back to sleep.

*

The rest of the afternoon passes the same way after lunch, but they spread out on their own separate chairs because it was getting too hot and uncomfortable to be cuddled like that with the mid-afternoon sun. John isn’t used to being so lazy, but he has to admit it feels good to “recharge”. The massages were the extra cherry on top and John feels loose and relaxed, and Mitch looks the same.

They share another bottle of wine at dinner, and Mitch happily takes glass after glass with their meal. It goes down John’s throat easily but John doesn’t know enough about wine to understand how it compliments the fish they’re having. Everything tastes great though, and he feels warm and full by the end of it.

They’ve both got too much energy to head back to their room after they’re done, despite their early morning, so they decide to take a walk around the resort. There are a few other couples out on the grounds with them so they’re not alone, but everyone talks quietly amongst themselves. The skies are dark but the stars are bright, and there’s only the dim ground lighting around the path for them to see where they’re going. It gives them this illusion of privacy, and it feels natural to reach out and wrap his hand around Mitch’s.

Mitch flinches, but before John can question himself, Mitch twists his hand and slides his fingers through John’s and squeezes lightly. He’s looking down at the ground, but John can see the smile on his face as he kicks a small stone on the path. Mitch swings their arms a little, and John isn’t sure if its intentional or not, but it makes John smile from how endearing it is.

“So, tell me about yourself,” John says after a while, and Mitch let’s out a startled laugh.

“It’s a little too late for that now, isn’t it?” Mitch waves his left hand to show off his ring, his smile full of mirth and amusement.

“Never too late to ask,” John says earnestly.

Mitch tilts his head to the side, inquisitively, but he doesn’t stop moving. It takes a moment, but eventually, he says, “Well, you saw my profile so I don’t need to bore you with the basics. What do you want to know?”

John didn’t really think about that. As part of their marriage, they were required to provide both sides with the full details of their history. Everything from the basics like their NHL profile to their family, medical history, sexual experiences, and so forth; there are more details that John knows about Mitch than he did about any of the people he dated seriously in the past. But at the same time, John doesn’t feel like he really _knows_ Mitch.

“I’m happy to hear anything you’re willing to share with me,” John says, and he means it. He thinks even the most mundane story, if he hears it from Mitch, he’ll learn something new about him.

Mitch hums for a moment, like he’s thinking about it.

“I love hockey?”

That startles a laugh out of John, and it gets a chuckle out of Mitch too, but his smile softens after a moment.

“When I got drafted by the Leafs, I made Stromer pinch me to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. And then we screamed together because I was so excited and he was so happy for me.”

“Yeah?” John can imagine how that feels. He knows it’s not the same as John coming home after being drafted by New York but when he signed the contract, he felt like a rookie again, being wanted by his childhood team and being able to choose them back. There was excitement and elation, this surreal feeling that left John floating at times.

“I didn’t want to take my jersey off for the rest of the day. It’s framed in my parent’s house right now,” Mitch admits with a bashful grin.

“You’ll have to show me one day.”

Mitch looks down, and his smile dims for a moment, but then he nods his head. “Yeah, for sure.” John thinks about pressing, but he doesn’t want to break the fragile moment he feels building between them. Mitch is opening up to John and the newness of everything makes John wary of rocking the boat right now.

“Why did you choose the Leafs?” Mitch asks when the silence has dragged on for a while. “I know you got crazier offers.”

John takes a moment to put his thoughts together. There’s a really simple answer, but he doesn’t think that’s the answer Mitch is looking for, and it’s also not the answer he deserves, as John’s husband. “The short answer, I thought I would have the best chance to win, for a long time, if I played for the Leafs.”

“Of course,” Mitch says proudly, his chest puffing out. “Our team is the bomb.”

John laughs. “And I have to admit, Kyle really knew how to sell the message of coming home, what it would be like to bring the Cup back to Toronto. It felt like something straight out of my dreams as a kid, and it brought me right back to running around on the street with a stick in my hand and pretending that I was on the team and the one to score the Stanley Cup winning goal.”

Mitch smiles, like he gets it, which gives John the push to continue. “I never planned on listening to offers, but Pat told me that I should, that it wouldn’t hurt to know what other teams had to offer. It was an ego boost, that’s for sure, just seeing how many teams wanted to talk to me, and what kind of offers and benefits they were willing to give me.”

“You’re John Tavares,” Mitch says, rolling his eyes like he thinks John is being too humble, but it’s true. John never doubted his ability as a hockey player, but it was still a shock to know how many teams wanted him and the lengths that they would go to get him. It was flattering and terrifying, to be given the power to choose where he wanted to go and to have to bear the weight of that decision if it didn’t work out. It wasn’t an easy choice. New York was always going to be the safe choice, but John couldn’t ignore the voice in the back of his head that told him he would regret not taking the leap when he had the chance, to live out his childhood dream when he’s sold the idea that he was the last missing piece to take them all the way. John isn’t the type to regret the choices he makes, to look back and wish he could change his decisions, but at the time, it really felt like his heart was torn in two.

“I’m happy with my choice,” John says, smiling at Mitch and hoping he gets that John means it for more than just the team.

“You know, when Dubby called me to ask me to come in to film some drills, I knew it was going to be for you,” Mitch says. “It made me want to show off even more, to help bring you home, but Dubby kept saying to keep it simple. He made me redo that one drill around the pylons like ten times to get the perfect shots.”

John smiles and says sincerely, “It worked. He sold the idea of you as my partner, on and off the ice, and the kind of chemistry and story we could start in Toronto. It forced me to think about what it would be like to play with the kind of skill and talent you have.”

“Yeah?” The bravado from before is no longer present. Mitch doesn’t seem to realize how good is, and how much of a factor he was in John signing with the team.

“I want to be the best player that I can be, and signing with the Leafs and playing with you, I felt like this would help me get there.”

They stop walking when they reach the end of the path. John doesn’t know if it’s a sign, or if it’s because of where they are, but it feels like another step forward for them and it’s a cliché, but John just really wants to kiss Mitch right now under the clear dark skies with the stars watching over them and no one else in sight, like they’re the only two people in the world.

*

They spend their last few days on excursions like snorkeling, parasailing, biking and kayaking. It keeps them busy, and after a few days of laziness, John relishes the chance to do something more active. And before he realizes it, it’s time for them to head back to Toronto. The nerves start to come back as they head to the airport. He turns his phone back on, and predictably, it blows up, vibrating non-stop with new notifications. He doesn’t know if Mitch had checked his phone much while they were gone, but he sees a grimace on his face when the little notification light on his phone goes off repeatedly.

Most of the messages for John are along the lines of “WTF?” from old teammates and friends that he hadn’t updated about his plans, as well as a bunch from his parents and sisters sending updates and requests for pictures and news. There’s also an invite to the Leafs group chat from Mo that he accepts and almost instantly the messages start pouring in. They range from simple congratulations to chirping Mitch for finding himself a sugar daddy (John doesn’t know if he’s supposed to find that complimentary or insulting). John deals with his family first, sending them a quick note that they’re heading back to Toronto along with some pictures he took with Mitch on the trip. He really liked the one of them at the falls, and that’s the one his mom responds with a heart. For all the other shocked and stunned ones, John sends out a mass text to everyone to confirm the news and after a moment of hesitation, he attaches a picture of the two of them at dinner with their rings visible for everyone to see.

“Think we can sneak back to my place without any reporters catching us?” Mitch asks after John’s done with responding to the messages that matter, but he doesn’t look hopeful.

“Probably better to make a statement so that they have something to write about,” John says, even if he generally makes it a rule not to share personal details with the media, but he doesn’t think a hockey arranged marriage is something they can keep behind closed doors, especially with who they are. It’s going to be a story, whether they like it or not, and John would rather control the narrative rather than have them put words into their mouths.

Mitch sighs. “You’re right,” he says, leaning back on his chair. He looks out the window of the plane as they’re just about ready to takeoff.

The flight isn’t long, but they both nap for most of the duration, and by the time they land with their luggage, there’s a small group of reporters waiting for them when they try to leave. John tries to smile as the questions come flying at them, everyone speaking at once and trying to get their voices heard, and John lifts a hand up, gesturing for them to slow down. It takes a second, but the questions finally stop and John doesn’t wait for them to start up again, and he says, “Mitch and I know you guys have a lot of questions that you want to ask us, so I’ll just start off by saying yes, Mitch and I did get married as part of my contract agreement with the team. I feel very fortunate that I not only get to join my childhood team, but also found a partner to make me a better person and player on and off the ice. We’re going to take the rest of the summer to get to know each other, and for me to get used to a new team and system. We appreciate the space as we try to figure things out. Thank you.”

Some of them try to get more out of them, but when John keeps deflecting with non-answers, after the third or fourth time, they reluctantly settle for taking a few pictures instead. John puts his arm around Mitch’s shoulders and he can feel Mitch’s arm around his back, and they pose for a few shots before taking their leave. They get in a cab and it’s inevitable that the driver knows exactly who they are, but he’s respectful and after congratulating John on his contract, their marriage, and a nice welcome home greeting, he puts the radio on and leaves them be. John makes sure to tip his extra for that, and by the time they get inside Mitch’s condo, he feels drained.

“Well, that wasn’t so bad,” Mitch says, even if his shoulders are slumped. “Thanks for doing the dirty work.” John shrugs. It wasn’t a big deal. He’s used to dealing with the media, even if it’s never been on the same scale as Toronto. It wouldn’t have been fair to expect Mitch to do it when John is the one that caused the stir by coming home and then marrying one of the young stars on the team.

They leave their luggage by the door and John sees the small stack of boxes that he asked his parents to help send here. Mitch and him agreed that it would make more sense for John to move into Mitch’s apartment for now until they figure out their more permanent living arrangements. He’s never been here before, and even though it’s going to be his home for the next however many weeks, he doesn’t feel like it would be appropriate for him to be wandering around on his own.

“Want to give me a tour?” He asks after Mitch has grabbed them both a water bottle from the fridge.

“Oh, right,” Mitch says, looking flustered. “Um… well, this is the kitchen, living room.” Mitch points animatedly as he talks, gesturing from the modern open kitchen to the living room with the spacious sectional and armchair, and the big screen TV with multiple game systems connected to it. There’s floor to ceiling windows all along the living room and dining area, and there’s a pretty nice view of the city. “I got the Xbox set up if you want to play the boys on COD or Fortnite or Chel.”

John is terrible at video games, but he remembers that Mitch is a big fan. He should probably get some reps in, figure out what the appeal is, or at least try to anyway.

“The bedrooms are here,” Mitch says, gesturing for John to follow as he takes them down the hallway. He opens the door to what looks like the spare bedroom that’s been converted to a mini-gym with mats, dumbbells, foam rollers, and other odds and ends. “I usually use the gym downstairs or at the rink, but this is nice when I just want to stretch or do some simple reps before bed. You can obviously use it for whatever you want, too.” John nods.

There’s a second bathroom that Mitch never uses, and then he shows John the master. The room is sparsely furnished, with a large bed and nightstand, and there’s a TV mounted onto the wall. The place looks clean, almost too clean, like Mitch had someone put some work in before they came home.

“I made room for you in the walk-in, so you can hang your stuff in there,” Mitch says. “The bathroom is over there and you can use anything in there. There’s also extra towels and stuff in the linen closet if you need anything.”

“You thought of everything,” John says, smiling. Mitch looks bashful again, scratching the back of his neck.

“I had someone come in to help get everything sorted out. And Patty helped,” Mitch admits. “Also, he’s going to want to have dinner together soon, and just a warning, his kids are nuts. You might want to chug a Red Bull before we go over.”

That startles a laugh out of John. “I look forward to it.” It’ll be nice to bond with the team, even if he’s not sure if their schedules will work out with everything they’ve got going on in the summer. It also reminds John of the last few messages he got from his mom. “My parents want to meet you too, and my sisters as well. Maybe we can do dinner or something with your family too?”

Mitch goes quiet for a moment, and when he responds, there’s something off about his expression, but John can’t quite put his finger on it. It’s the same kind of expression he has every time his family comes up, like the light gets dimmed around him, and John makes a mental note to be more careful from now on.

“Let’s start with your family first,” Mitch says, and then adds, “One hurdle at a time.” He’s smiling at his own joke, but it’s not as bright as it was when they were in Maui.

“Okay, I’ll set something up,” John says, not wanting to linger on this subject longer than he has to, not when Mitch doesn’t look happy about it.

Both of their stomachs start growling so they order in. It’s early enough in the season that they cheat with some Chinese food, and Mitch clearly has a rapport with the delivery guy because Mitch asks him about how his kid’s soccer team is doing and they chat for a few minutes at the door before the guy says he has to run for his next delivery. Mitch waves goodbye and asks him to say hi to Jamie for him.

“Do you order from them a lot or are you just really friendly?” John asks, teasing but also impressed, because John’s noticed the way Mitch draws people towards him even without trying. When he walks into a room, his presence is felt with his warm aura, and his friendly smile. He’s really good at opening himself up enough to make people feel comfortable, even if John’s learned that he has to work a bit harder if he wants to get more than what Mitch offers on a superficial level. But it’s not like Mitch is fake, but he’s a giver, and he doesn’t share the bad as easily as the good.

“Maybe a little bit of both,” Mitch says, grinning, as he rubs the back of his neck with his hand. There’s a hint of embarrassment colouring his cheeks, but he shrugs and they dig into the food. They keep the conversation light while they eat, and that’s when John suddenly remembers an email he skimmed past earlier.

“I got some listings from the realtor,” he says, and Mitch looks up. “Do you want to go check out some houses later this week to see if we can find something we both like?”

“Okay,” Mitch says easily, and then adds, “I’m good with anything though.” He says it like it’s really no big deal to him, even if this is the place they’re likely going to call home for the next few years.

“I’ll get her to line up some viewings for us then.”

Mitch nods his head, and they go back to dinner.

*

John’s realtor arranges several viewings for them right away. It’s a lot quicker than John expected, but they make it work with their schedule in between meetings and training. The first house that they see is what John would call a modern monstrosity. It’s all straight lines and white sleek design that still manage to scream “grand” despite it’s simplicity. It’s got a boxy exterior and John’s first thought is that they’re going to have to shovel all of the snow off the roof in the winter. Mitch doesn’t seem impressed either. He wrinkles his nose as his hands slide over the countertops and his eyes take in everything.

They listen as Jenna lists off all the features in the house, all the upgrades that go over John’s head, and even though Mitch is listening politely, he’s giving that _look_, the one where his face is pinched just a little. It’s the same look he gave when the waiter at the resort highly recommended the halibut with pineapple slaw, his enthusiasm practically contagious, and Mitch had ordered it only to not finish it later. John’s learned that Mitch has a hard time saying no, at least in front of John.

“What do you think?” John asks, even if he knows the answer.

“It’s… a lot of white. But I guess we can always paint, if we like it,” Mitch says with some hesitation. His smile looks forced.

“How about we head for the next one?” John asks, and he doesn’t miss the way Mitch breathes out a sigh in relief.

“Okay, I’m sensing ultra modern isn’t what you guys are after,” Jenna says warmly, almost cheery that they’re rejecting this one. “I think the next few will be more suitable.”

They see three more houses that are fairly similar, that are considered “transitional” according to Jenna, even if John has no idea what it really means. John does like them a lot better than the first one, but none of them scream “the one” either. Mitch looks more interested, but he doesn’t give John a sign as to which one he prefers. He does laugh at the one place with more classic décor that had gold trim along the baseboards and crown moulding, so that one is definitely out.

The fifth one though, John likes it a lot before they even step inside. The house sits on a decent sized lot with lots of tall trees and shrubs that surround it. It looks almost private and secluded, like an escape from the city within the city, and the location is close to the arena and downtown as well. There are a lot of windows that will be great for letting in sunlight, but the trees that surround the property are tall enough that they can’t see their neighbours even without any privacy fence. The designs are modern and clean, but the colours are warm. There’s a spacious living room and dining area for entertaining, and the yard is big enough to fit a hot tub, a large patio and a deck along with some green space. John can imagine hosting team BBQs or family get togethers here in the summer.

There’s five bedrooms in the house, and the master is similar to the other places they looked at with the ensuite and walk-in closet, but there’s a set of French doors that lead out to a balcony that faces the yard. It’s a really nice feature, and John can see Mitch’s eyes widen with interest. He’s so expressive, his face often like an open book, but he always tries to hold his thoughts close to his chest anyway.

“Do you like this one?” John asks, even if the answer is more obvious now than before.

Mitch is quiet, chewing on his lower lip, and he looks hesitant to say anything. John tries to wait him out, but he doesn’t want to put pressure on him, and he adds, “Because I really like it.”

A smile blossoms on Mitch’s face, wide and happy, as he nods his head, and John feels it like a light beaming down on his face, warming him from head to toe.

*

They put an offer on the house the same day. It takes only two days for Jenna and their lawyers to get the paperwork together for them to sign. From there, it seems like everything happens at the same time. There’s hockey related stuff they need to deal with, sponsors that want either of their time (sometimes both), and they have to find time in between training and meetings and packing to go furniture shopping.

It’s the first time Mitch actually openly disagrees with what John suggests. He doesn’t know whether he should be amused or frustrated that it’s over something as trivial as upholstery colour, but apparently it’s a Big deal whether the chairs are linen or leather, ivory or grey, wood or steel.

“Just, some colour would be nice too, right?” Mitch says, almost desperately, after John picked a creamy linen for their bedframe and headboard, and is now debating between the light grey or the beige for their dining chairs.

“Which one do you like?” John asks. He’s exhausted from going through all the different choices.

Mitch’s hand moves towards the red leather and John’s face must convey how he feels about that because Mitch bursts out laughing. “Even I’m not that adventurous,” he says, amused. He moves the sample aside to grab the blue velvet underneath to show John. The colour is brighter than what John would normally choose for himself, but it’s nice.

“This would go very well with a marble dining table with steel or wood legs,” Robyn, their interior designer, says. She looks amused by their conversation, biting back a smile as she watches them. “You can choose the colour and finishing from this book here.”

John defers to Mitch after that. He chooses a glossy white table with a simple wooden center support. It looks really good together, and the colour is a nice touch.

Everything goes a lot quicker when John let’s Mitch run the show, who seems happy to pick the colours and textures that he wants. It’s worth giving up control to see the smile on Mitch’s face, who likes to touch and feel everything before deciding which fabrics that he likes most. They do end up getting a red chair for their family room, but it goes really well with everything Mitch picked so John tries not to look too wide-eyed at it.

It’s late by the time they’re done, and Mitch collapses onto the couch the second they get home; he looks half-asleep before John’s got the door locked behind them. John shakes his head with a smile and leaves Mitch to nap. He goes into the kitchen to see what they’ve got for groceries. It feels like a good day for a cheat meal, and there’re enough ingredients for him to make his mom’s chicken parm, so John starts pulling out all the ingredients to prep for that. He takes a peek into the living room and Mitch is already fast asleep, his neck twisted in a way that can’t be comfortable.

John cleans off his hands and moves towards Mitch. His face is slack with sleep and he looks peaceful. His hat is falling off of his head and John carefully pulls it off and sets it aside. Mitch’s hair somehow managed to stay fluffy despite wearing a hat all day, and John can’t help brushing his hair back from his face, just watching him sleep for a moment before he carefully cradles the back of Mitch’s head and tucks a pillow underneath his neck for support. He leaves him alone after that, and goes back to the kitchen to start preparing dinner.

*

Mitch stumbles into the kitchen with rosy cheeks and a sheepish smile when John’s finished cooking and is in the process of plating everything.

“Thanks for making dinner,” he says, looking down at the two plates on the counter. “Smells great.”

John smiles and he’s leaning forward to peck Mitch on the lips before he even realizes what he’s doing. Mitch looks adorably sleep rumpled, and John’s glad he did it when his smile brightens.

“Want to grab a couple wine glasses? To celebrate us making it through our first hurdle as a married couple.”

Mitch laughs, bright and cheery, and he opens the cabinet above the sink and grabs the wine glasses from the top shelf. “Maybe we should hold off until we’ve successfully built some Ikea furniture together before we start celebrating.”

John laughs. He’s heard enough horror stories from his friends about that to know they’re better off staying as far away from Ikea as possible.

They eat dinner at the table, and they keep their wine glasses full until they’ve emptied the bottle. Mitch talks a bit more about his family, mostly his brother and his mom, and John tells him about his uncle who he’s looked up to since he was a kid. Mitch perks up with interest when they start talking about his team and how they’re doing.

“I used to play too, you know,” Mitch says. That surprises John. Lacrosse was never popular as a second sport choice, but it was always something that John loved and had a lot of passion for, and if it weren’t for hockey, he thinks he would’ve followed in his uncle’s footsteps and pursued a career in it.

“Really?

“Yu_p_,” Mitch says, popping the last syllable. “It was kind of similar to hockey that I thought it would be good for practice, but it was also, like, really different at the same time so it didn’t feel like hockey all the time. Does that make sense?”

John nods his head. He gets it. There are elements of both games that feels familiar, but at the same time, John never felt like he was playing a version of hockey when he played lacrosse. He loved the crisp, short passes; the fakes and dekes on the grass instead of on the ice; but the rush of scoring was the same. He always felt like playing lacrosse made him a better hockey player, and it made him appreciate it even more.

“My Uncle John is going to be even more excited to meet you now,” John says. “He might challenge you to a matchup or two, so be prepared.”

Mitch frowns. “That’s not fair. Wasn’t he like the Wayne Gretzky of lacrosse?

The comparison surprises John. He’s never heard his uncle described that way before, but it makes sense now that Mitch has said it out loud. “He’ll be really happy to hear you say that.” Mitch smiles, and their conversation drifts off to much more mundane stories after that, but John enjoys them. He likes to hear about the things Mitch cares about, the things that makes him smile and he thinks are worth sharing.

Neither of them is drunk at the end of the night, but John feels warm and loose from the food and wine, and he can’t resist pulling Mitch into his arms to kiss him as they head to their room. Mitch slides his hands down his chest and pushes up under his shirt, splaying them over John’s stomach. His fingers trace over the muscle, his touch firm and purposeful. The heat gathers low in the pit of his stomach, and his dick is definitely responding to the feel of Mitch’s hands on him. He steps back to pull his shirt over his head and drops it onto the ground beside the bed. It doesn’t take long for both of them to strip out of their clothes, and once they’re naked, John pulls Mitch on top of him as he lies back on the bed and kisses him, deep and hard.

John really loves kissing Mitch. He loves the way he melts into it, the way his hands can’t stop touching John all over, and the sounds he makes, the hitches in his breath like it’s overwhelming but he can’t stop.

When they pull apart, Mitch presses his forehead against John’s, his breaths warm against his lips, and he looks almost shy as he asks, “Can I blow you?”

Oh god. John feels like his brain gets shorted. He can’t even find his voice to respond, but his dick is definitely very on board with that plan. He nods his head and Mitch slides off of him and kneels between John’s legs.

“You’re going to have to, um, tell me what works for you,” Mitch says. His cheeks are pink, and John tries to smile reassuringly at him as he nods his head and leans up to run his fingers through his hair. It feels really soft to the touch, and Mitch seems to relax when John scratches the base of his neck. He licks his lips when he looks down, and then he’s curling his hand around John’s dick. His face is so focused, like John’s a play he’s trying to break down, and John would smile about it if Mitch didn’t suddenly take him all the way into his mouth and render John completely useless.

John bites back a moan at the feel of Mitch’s mouth around him, so warm and wet. What Mitch lacks in experience he definitely makes up for with enthusiasm, and John doesn’t know what does it for him, the way Mitch is so focused and clearly trying really hard to make this good for John, or how good he actually is without having ever done this before, but it pushes John closer and closer to the edge. He can’t help running his fingers through Mitch’s hair, careful not to tug, just petting it gently while Mitch slowly takes him apart.

Mitch pulls off before John is all the way there, his mouth red and wet as he pants for air, and it takes everything inside of John not to put his own hand on his dick to finish off the job. Mitch smiles sheepishly at John and says, “Jaw is sore.”

John can’t help letting out a soft laugh as he runs a shaky hand through his own hair. He feels out of breath and desperate for Mitch in a way he hasn’t felt for anyone else in a long time. He tugs Mitch down to kiss him. He needs to get his hands on him and Mitch finishes him off with a few quick tugs on his dick, and John comes all over them with a moan.

“Fuck,” John gasps, pulling back from the kiss so that he can catch his breath. He presses his forehead against Mitch’s, and when he finally manages to get himself together, he notices the expectant look on Mitch’s face, like he’s waiting for a review. It surprises John how fond he feels about Mitch already, the warmth and affection for him flooding his chest.

“That was great,” John says, and Mitch smiles, looking relieved.

“It’ll be better next time,” Mitch says, like he didn’t already blow John’s mind. “I’ll finish the job properly next time.”

John smiles, shaking his head helplessly, but he’s not going to stop Mitch from finding new ways to destroy him in bed. He pulls Mitch in for another kiss and jerks him off until he’s coming apart in John’s arms, the same way John feels about Mitch right now.

*

John’s delayed the meeting as long as he could, with excuses like their honeymoon, hockey commitments, training, and shopping for a new house, but his mom insists on a brunch with Mitch and John is helpless to say no. Mitch doesn’t look upset by it though. He looks nervous but excited, and he changes three times before finally settling on a pair of skinny maroon jeans and a white checkered short sleeve shirt. He doesn’t put a hat on and spends a long time in front of the mirror fixing his hair, and John tries not to laugh at how fussy Mitch is being right now. His parents won’t care what he’s wearing or looks like when they meet him, but he appreciates that Mitch is taking the extra care to make a good impression.

He looks really good when he’s done, not a hair out of place, and John’s glad he put on a nicer black Henley and dark jeans so that he doesn’t look completely out of place next to Mitch, who definitely put a lot more effort in than John. John leans in to give him a quick kiss before they leave, and Mitch smiles, looking pleased and happy.

The restaurant is close by so they decide to walk there, which is probably a mistake since people keep staring or do the doubletake when they walk past. They make it to the restaurant without anything too crazy happening though, and his parents are already there waiting for them at a table. His mom looks so excited that she’s practically vibrating with it as she gets up to greet them.

“Hi Mitch, we’re so excited to meet you and welcome you into our family. We would’ve done this a lot sooner, but John kept saying you guys were busy,” she gives John a withering look, and he flushes the way he only does in front of his family. It makes him feel impossibly young and like a child again. “You can call my Barbara.”

“Hi Barbara,” Mitch says, smiling warmly. He accepts the hug she gives him easily, and he shakes his dad’s hand when he offers it as well.

“I’m John’s dad, Joe,” he greets.

“Hi Joe. It’s good to meet both of you,” Mitch says. John is relieved to see that Mitch doesn’t seem uncomfortable so far, not even when his mom ushers them both to their seats and takes the one beside Mitch before John is able to. He gives Mitch an apologetic smile, but Mitch doesn’t seem to mind, and he let’s his mom fuss over him.

“So, how was Hawaii? John sent us some pictures. It looked beautiful,” she says, her eyes bright with interest as she looks at Mitch.

“It was great,” Mitch says. “We had fun trying all different kinds of activities in the water.”

“Do you have pictures?” She asks, and her eyes light up when Mitch nods his head and pulls out his phone. He shows them a slideshow from the trip and narrates all the different things they did. Mitch is a much better storyteller than John, speaking animatedly and with lots of humour as he talks about all the activities they tried and even shares the things that didn’t go well (like the numerous times John fell into the water when they tried paddleboarding). His mom looks utterly charmed by Mitch already, and even his dad looks like he’s warming up to him by the time Mitch finishes showing off some of the nicer pictures from when they went kayaking.

“Looks like you guys had a good time,” his dad says, smiling warmly at the two of them. John nods his head and reaches for his glass of water.

“It was a nice escape,” he admits. “I can’t imagine the attention if we stuck around after we got married too.”

“I still can’t believe my son got married and we didn’t even get to attend the wedding,” his mom says, and it sounds mostly teasing, but there’s a pointed edge to it that John recognizes that means she’s still not over it.

“Sorry, it happened really fast,” Mitch says, and he looks genuinely sorry. “My mom was pretty upset with me too. My brother was mostly sad that he missed out of the ‘wedding of the century’, whatever that means.” Mitch rolls his eyes fondly.

“So tell us about your family, Mitch. We can’t wait to meet them too.”

Mitch’s smile softens. He starts by listing out everyone, “and we can’t forget Winston and Burbank,” he adds with a smile. That instantly results in Mitch spending the next twenty minutes talking about his family pets and John doesn’t even mind that he’s hearing the same stories twice because of how happy Mitch looks to be talking about them and his parents hang onto his every word with interest.

It’s easy to fade into the background and let their voices wash over him

*

Brunch takes over two hours. It went about as well as John could’ve ever hoped. His parents seem to really like Mitch, even if they were apprehensive at first because of how much younger he was, but Mitch definitely won them over with his warm personality.

“Your parents are nice,” Mitch says when they’re walking home.

“They’re your parents now too,” John says, and he doesn’t miss the way Mitch ducks his head down with a smile. “We should do the same with your family. My sisters are going to want to meet you soon too.”

Mitch is silent for a moment, like he’s thinking about it, but then he nods. “Yeah, I’ll call them to set something up.”

John can’t wait.

*

They move into their new home on a Wednesday, and the first thing Mitch does is sit on the red accent chair in the family room. He flashes John a cheeky grin, and John rolls his eyes, fond, which draws a happy laugh from Mitch. John has to admit that everything came together really nicely and the colours Mitch picked really do brighten up the rooms. The dining set looks great and the velvet feels luxurious under his hands. Mitch also begrudgingly admits that the neutral colours in their bedroom are calming and fitting too.

Their first dinner in the house ends up being Chipotle and beer, served on the dining table that looks more suited for a five-star meal, but John’s not sure he would have it any other way.

*

John fucks Mitch slowly that night on their new bed, in their brand new home, and it feels like a cliché, but when Mitch clings desperately onto his arms, shaking apart as John thrusts into him; it feels like the start of something new, something _more_.

*

Mitch hesitates when he has to pack for his trip to Muskoka for training.

“You know I can stay right? It’s not like the end of the world if I change things up,” Mitch says.

John sighs. He feels like they’ve had this conversation a hundred times already. _Today_.

“It’s really fine,” John insists. “You have your own routine and I have mine. You told me you’ve been training with him since you were a kid. Don’t change it now because of me.”

Mitch bites down on his lips. He looks guilty still, like he’s not quite sure if he should believe John.

John pushes off the doorframe where he was standing and watching Mitch pack in their room. They still haven’t really organized where they want everything so there are boxes and suitcases everywhere, piles of clothes in places that make John wince every time he walks past it.

“I’m going to be busy with training too. And you’re only going to be gone for three weeks. I’ve got things to take care of at home too. You don’t have to feel bad.” John squeezes Mitch’s shoulders and he finally relaxes them, sighing.

“Okay,” Mitch says finally. “We should skate together when I’m back though. Get our chemistry going,” he says with a small smile.

“Sounds great.”

*

Mitch arranges a brunch with his family the day before he has to leave for Muskoka. It’s only his mom and brother, but John doesn’t ask any questions. He just smiles and introduces himself to them. He shakes Chris’ hand and gets a warm hug from Bonnie. Her hugs remind John of his own mom’s hugs, with how warm and comforting and friendly it feels.

“Welcome home,” Bonnie says with a wide smile. John recognizes that smile. It’s the same one as Mitch’s, the way it gives off the same radiant sunny feel. “We’re so excited to see you choose Toronto and Mitch.”

“_Mom_,” Mitch whines, looking embarrassed by his mom’s words. She laughs and pat’s his cheek consolingly, and it makes him look even younger than he is, just like how John feels when he’s in front of his own parents. They have this ability to make him feel like he’s ten years old again and getting chastised for dinging the drain pipe with a hockey puck.

“Sorry sweetie,” she says, not sounding sorry at all but mostly amused by her son’s reactions, and it makes John smile.

“I was very fortunate that a few teams reached out, and even more fortunate that Mitch accepted my offer,” John says, and he means it. He might’ve been the one to put the pen onto paper, but Mitch was the one that took that first step by making himself available, by putting himself on the line, and John really does feel fortunate that he was allowed to choose Mitch and that Mitch accepted John in return.

Bonnie’s smile softens, looks even sweeter somehow, and she tucks her arm into the crook of Mitch’s. “He can be a handful, but he’s got a big heart. You two are going to be wonderful together.”

John can see Mitch trying to look long-suffering, but the smile cracks at his façade, and it only widens when his mom fusses over him and asks him questions like is he eating properly, how’s his training going, and whether he’s resting enough.

“She says she doesn’t have favourites, but it’s pretty obvious Mitch is her favourite,” Chris says, shaking his head, but he looks fond as he watches them. John’s heard enough stories about Chris to know that he’s got a really good relationship with Mitch, and if anyone is spoiling him, he’s as equally to blame. But Mitch never comes across as spoiled or entitled though, despite how much his family dotes on him. He always seems genuine in all of his interactions with people, and it never seems like he takes for granted the people that have helped him along the way and tries to do the same for others.

“He makes it really easy to want to take care of him and treat him well,” John admits. He can’t explain it, but the parts of Mitch that he’s been able to unravel, the way he opens his heart out for the world to take advantage of, it makes John want to protect and shield him, even if he doesn’t need it.

Chris tilts his head to the side, just looking at John like he’s trying to figure him out, but he smiles after a while, and if this was a test, John feels like he might’ve just passed it.

*

Brunch goes well. John can see where Mitch gets his warm personality from. It’s easy to talk to Bonnie and Chris. Bonnie isn’t as intense as John’s mom about hockey, but she clearly cares, and it’s nice to talk about hockey with someone that doesn’t immediately make John feel like he needs to be better.

Mitch steps away to use the washroom after a while, and John shouldn’t be surprised to see Bonnie’s face turn a lot more serious the second Mitch turns the corner.

“Mitch looks really happy,” she opens with, and John doesn’t really know how to respond to that, so he simply nods. “I was really worried at the start. I wasn’t sure how this was going to go.” She pauses, like she’s trying to find the right words, and John doesn’t press, just waits patiently to hear what she has to say. “But it looks like I didn’t need to. He sent me pictures and messages when you guys came back from your trip, and it looks like both of you made the right decision.”

She looks down, and John is alarmed when he realizes it’s because she’s trying to collect herself. He sees Chris look down as well, and John suddenly feels out of his element, like he’s freefalling and there’s nothing he can do but flail aimless to try and slow it down.

“Family has always been really important to Mitch. That feeling of home, and being with people that he cares about and that care about him.” She takes a deep breath, her eyes misty as she looks at John, and John feels like a puzzle piece has snapped into place and he’s finally starting to understand now why Mitch offered himself and why his dad rarely gets mentioned. “I hope you can be that for him. That the two of you will be happy together. Please take good care of my boy.”

John takes a deep breath and smiles reassuringly at her. “I promise.”

*

Bonnie hugs them both a lot when they leave. John isn’t used to so much physical affection, but it feels nice that she’s treating him like family. They part ways with a promise from Mitch that they’ll come home for dinner sometime, and that he’ll bring John’s family out to meet them too.

Mitch has some things to take care of before he leaves so John leaves him alone to deal with that and goes to the gym for his workout. He makes sure that he’s home for dinner though. It’s a nice day so John figures it’s as good as any opportunity to fire up the grill and do steaks, corn, potatoes, and a simple salad. They stay outside, long after they finish eating, just hanging out on the deck with a couple of beers. They aren’t cuddling, but Mitch’s knee is warm where it’s curled up on the seat and pressed against John’s thigh, his body angled towards John.

“This is nice,” Mitch says with a happy sigh. “Reminds me of when we were in Hawaii.”

John agrees. He tilts his head back to look up at the sky. It’s too bright to see any stars, but it still feels peaceful to look up at.

John isn’t sure how much time passes by, but the silence isn’t uncomfortable, and John doesn’t feel the choking need to fill the silence between them. He’s suddenly reminded of the conversation he had with Bonnie and he brings it up to Mitch.

Mitch huffs out a laugh and says, “I hope she didn’t give you the shovel talk.”

John shakes his head with a smile. “She just wanted to tell me how important family is to you.” He pauses for a moment before he continues, “Is that why you offered yourself? Because you wanted to start your own family?”

Mitch is quiet for a moment. John doesn’t think he looks upset at John for asking, but he also doesn’t want to force Mitch to talk about something he isn’t ready for or want to, and just as he’s about to take it back, Mitch says, “My dad really didn’t want me to do this, you know.”

John sucks in a breath. He had suspected it, but to hear it confirmed out loud, he’s not sure how to feel about that.

“He wants me to be the best player out there, and he believes I can be, as long as I tried,” Mitch says, but he doesn’t sound happy about it. “He thinks all these things… you joining the team, us getting married… it’ll just be a distraction and it’ll hurt me more than it’ll help me.”

John never thought about it like that, and to hear that someone _does_, someone so important to Mitch; it makes him nauseous.

Mitch pulls both legs up close to his chest and curls his arms around them. It makes him look smaller than he really is. “Hockey was always such a big part of our family. Chris didn’t want to stick it out, but I did, and that brought me and my dad closer together, but it also drove us apart.” Mitch pauses, picking at his shorts like he’s trying to distract himself. “He was so focused on making me a hockey player that I think he forgot that he was my dad too. So it made it hard, anytime I tried to do anything that went against his plans to make me the best player I could ever be.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” John says, not knowing what else to say. He can’t imagine it because his parents were always so supportive of him, and they pushed him when he needed to be pushed, but John never felt like they pushed him too far or were ever too hard on him.

Mitch shrugs it off like it’s no big deal, even if it’s clearly bothering him. “It sucked, but he’s my dad, you know? We’re always going to be family, and I’ll always love him, but this time, I wanted to choose something for myself. I wanted to create my own family, a place I want to come home to.” Mitch looks up at John and his eyes look wet under the dim light, and his smile is small but it looks real. “So when Dubby asked if I would be interested in marriage, I couldn’t resist.”

John doesn’t know what to say. He can’t describe what he’s feeling right now, but it’s overwhelming, and he reaches out for Mitch before he even realizes what he’s doing. He grabs onto his hands and tugs him over onto his lap. Mitch comes easily, and he tucks his face into the crook of John’s neck almost immediately. John can hear him sniffling as he hugs him back just as tightly as John’s holding onto him, one arm wrapped tight around his waist and the other hand is cradling the back of Mitch’s head. He doesn’t know how to voice what he feels, so he just keeps holding onto Mitch and hopes that he gets that John feels the same way.

*

Mitch leaves really early the next morning. John can barely keep his eyes open when he wakes up, his limbs heavy like lead as he stumbles out of bed and his brain is still hazy with sleep, but he walks Mitch to the door anyway. He kisses him goodbye and John watches him leave with a big smile on his face. John is still thinking about that smile when he falls back into bed, his lips curling up as he goes back to sleep.

*

John spends the first few days that Might is gone training, unpacking a few more boxes, and trying to organize the house into some semblance of order. He spends some time with his family, and his mom almost looks disappointed when John shows up for dinner without Mitch. Laura teases him mercilessly about losing top spot for favourite son (he reminds her that he’s the _only_ son so that doesn’t even make sense, even if she laughs and says that makes it even more embarrassing that he isn’t the favourite anymore). It’s still nice though, even if the house feels too quiet without Mitch around.

Mitch is really good about texting John updates throughout the day, and they facetime almost every night, just to talk about their day. It reminds John of the early days of dating, this want and need to see and be with each other as much as possible. Mitch sends him silly videos of him goofing off after training or dancing while wakeboarding, but always laughing as happily as John’s ever seen. It makes John smile, his chest going warm and fond and full of affection for him.

John feels like he gets a good routine going after the first couple of weeks, and Naz messages him to meet up for dinner and drinks, which he happily agrees to. He meets Naz at the pub he picked out, and they hug briefly when they see each other.

“Welcome home, _finally_,” Naz says with a beaming smile. “You must’ve heard that at least a thousand times already, huh?”

John laughs. “Maybe just a few hundred.”

“Yeah right,” Naz says with a grin. “You’re John fucking Tavares. The city has been dying for one of their own to choose them, and of all people, it was _you_.”

A lot of people have said that to him, directly or indirectly, that they didn’t expect _John_ to be the one to leave the franchise he grew up with because he was always the loyal one. He doesn’t know whether he should be flattered that people thought that way about him or upset that he disappointed those that had faith in him. Either way, John isn’t going to look back. He’s happy with the decisions he made to get to where he is, and there’s only one path left to move forward.

“I think you guys have something special going on here, and I wanted to be part of it,” John says, which is true, but perhaps not the full truth.

Naz scoffs, but it’s with the same playfulness that John recognizes from when they were kids playing in London together. “Don’t even front. You did it for Mitchy. Like, what a guy, you sweep in and steal my winger, just like that.” Naz is grinning so it doesn’t look like there are any hard feelings, but John can only imagine what it’d be like to finally have a skilled winger on his line only to have him taken away before they managed to build up their chemistry.

“Babs might still change his mind about the lines,” John tries, and Naz gives him an extremely unimpressed look.

“And ruin the fairy tale narrative of local boy comes home, marries rising star on the team, and together they make beautiful hockey happen on a line? Yeah, not happening,” Naz says, rolling his eyes at John like he thinks he’s an idiot. “You deserve good wingers, and Mitchy deserves to play higher in the lineup. I can score with anyone on my wing.” Naz puffs out his chest and John laughs. He always loved that about Naz, his confidence and perseverance, even when everything is going against him; it’s admirable. “So tell me, how much was Mitchy a factor in your decision.”

John smiles and shrugs casually, knowing that it’ll annoy Naz.

Predictably, he huffs and says, “Come on, give me a clue. Five percent? Ten? Twenty?” John has never tried to quantify it. There’s no pie chart in his head that breaks down all the different factors, but he does know that Mitch wasn’t an insignificant consideration.

“It was enough,” John says neutrally and Naz rolls his eyes.

“You really haven’t changed at all, like even a little,” Naz says, but he’s smiling again, like he’s happy that they’re the same people as they used to be when they were dumb kids in London. “Things are good though? I’m sure it doesn’t need to be said, but if you mess Mitchy up, you’re going to get half the league after you, including everyone on the team.”

John smiles. He’d gotten the sense that the team is extremely protective of Mitch, and he expected no different from Naz, who was always fiercely protective of the people he cares about. “I’ll try not to,” John promises. It’s actually really nice to hear that the team loves and adores Mitch as much as they do. “I’ll do my best to treat him right.”

Naz makes a face at him. “God, you look whipped already.”

John shrugs, and he can’t help the smile on his face at the thought of Mitch right now. “Tell me what’s going on in your life. You already got my life story on TSN,” John jokes, and Naz throws his head back and laughs.

“Oh yeah, while you two losers eloped, I got married in style,” Naz says, and he whips out his phone to show John the pictures. John listens attentively as Nat goes over the wedding day, the party afterwards, and how beautiful his wife looked the whole day. Seeing the look on Naz’s face, how clearly it shows how much he adores his wife; it makes John wonder if that’s how he looks now when he talks about Mitch.

*

The last week passes by excruciatingly slow, and John tries to fill it with as much training as possible. He tidies up the house, gets groceries, rearranges the furniture, but it still feels like a long time before he finally gets a text from Mitch that says he’s finally on the road and that he’ll be back in time for dinner. John immediately starts preparing a meal that won’t give their trainers an aneurysm.

By the time the chicken and quinoa are being warmed in the oven, John can hear the front door opening. He doesn’t even realize his feet are moving until he’s already in the entry way and ready to greet Mitch.

“Hey, welcome home,” John says, smiling wide. Mitch looks surprised to see John there, but his answering smile is bright and warm.

“Hi,” Mitch says, and he drops his bags onto the ground and steps into the circle of John’s arms. He hugs him hard before John pulls back just enough so that he can kiss him properly. He hadn’t realized how much he missed Mitch until now. He doesn’t want to take his hands off of him now that he’s got him in his arms.

“Hi,” Mitch says again, and it sets them both off and they start laughing.

“Are you hungry? I made dinner,” John says as he brushes Mitch’s hair back from his forehead. He can’t help sliding his hand down his face and pressing his thumb over Mitch’s lower lip, just to feel how soft and plush it is. Mitch’s eyes follow his touch, going dark with interest.

“I can wait.”

John fucks him fast and hard on their bed. He feels desperate chasing after his release, wanting and needing to be as close to Mitch as possible, and Mitch must feel the same way from the way he clings onto him, long after they’ve come down from their high and curls tight around him long afterwards.

*

John usually rents out a local rink to do some skating drills with his trainer. This summer is no different, except Mitch joins him when they’re both done their workout and John’s still got some ice time left. There’s not much they can do with just the two of them, but they work on their passes and their shots. John has seen what Mitch can do on the ice, but it’s different being on the receiving end of it rather than watching it on game tape. Mitch is really good on his edges. He moves around the pylons that are left from John’s drills earlier with ease, twisting and turning with more grace than raw strength, He thinks about Sid, who’s also got really strong edges, but his style is more powerful than agile, and John can’t help thinking how beautiful Mitch looks while he skates, the way he controls the puck and every twist and turn is done beautifully.

They play keepaway for fun at the end. It’s not meant to be taken seriously, but their competitive streak kicks in and soon they’re chasing each other down, pushing and shoving against the boards and chopping at the puck. Whenever John thinks he’s got the upper hand, Mitch sneaks in with a beautiful stick lift and swipes the puck effortlessly away from him. John is both impressed and annoyed that he let it happen, but Mitch twists away from him with a laugh when he tries to pin him against the boards. It takes a desperation poke check to get the puck away from Mitch, and when they both chase it down, John uses that opportunity to push Mitch against the boards and hold him there.

John doesn’t know when chasing the puck became chasing after Mitch, but here he is, more focused on trapping a laughing Mitch than getting his stick on the puck.

“Hey, this is definitely a penalty,” Mitch complains, but he’s giggling as he says so. “Where’s my whistle?”

John can’t help grinning, feeling victorious with Mitch in his arms, but he’s caught off-guard when Mitch surprises him with his strength and tackles them both onto the ice, Mitch a giggling heap on top of him.

“Whoops,” Mitch says, but he doesn’t look sorry at all as he twists around and props his head up on his arms curled on top of John’s chest. John feels a rush of fondness hit him, and John recognizes that feeling that’s growing inside of him, the one that’s spreading from his chest and makes him warm all over.

John bops Mitch on the head with his glove, and Mitch ducks his head with a laugh, sounding even more delighted as he rolls off of John so that they can sit side by side with their backs against the boards. Mitch somehow managed to find the puck and he’s passing it back and forth lazily with his skates. He flips his head up to smile at John once in a while, but he seems content to play with the puck as well.

Things have started to change between them, they always have since they got married, but it became more noticeable after Mitch came back from Muskoka. It’s the small things, the little gestures, but Mitch has been much more openly affectionate with John, constantly initiating more touches. Sometimes it’s as small as a hang on John’s back while he tries to pass him in the kitchen, or like now, tackling him down to sprawl all over him with a beautiful smile on his face. It’s small, but it makes John immeasurably happy to see.

“What?” Mitch asks, and John snaps out of it. “You’re staring.” John didn’t even realize he was, but seeing the way Mitch is watching him, curious but happy, John can’t help tugging his gloves off and tipping his helmet back as he leans in closer to him. Mitch’s eyes widen for a moment, but his smile softens. It’s not a smile John has seen often, but it feels private and it feels _special_, almost like it’s just for John. 

John tips Mitch’s helmet back and kisses him, this sweet and lingering touch, and the warmth John felt earlier envelops him completely now.

*

Somehow, a picture of the two of them kissing on the ice gets shared on social media, and it blows up. There’s even an article on ESPN about it, and John can only laugh that _this_ is the “hockey” news that makes it on there.

Mitch decides to make an Instagram post afterwards. He uses pictures from their honeymoon, including the selfie they took from the falls. He shows it to John when he’s done, and it’s only captioned with a simple heart, but it feels like a lot more.

*

The offseason and training camp flies by before John realizes it. It’s like being a rookie again, the same nerves at meeting a new group of guys in a new situation, and needing to prove himself all over again. It’s the same kind of terrifying excitement, and John is barely able to nap before his first preseason game. It’s going to be his first time wearing a new jersey that isn’t New York’s, with a team that doesn’t have many familiar faces. It’s preseason, but John feels the weight of his decisions to the core.

Mitch is bouncing off the walls, excited for hockey to be back and to be around the guys he calls family in the room, and John tries to feed off of his energy to calm his nerves.

When they’re ready to step out onto the ice, Mitch is waiting for him outside the room, and John is surprised to be made a part of his pregame routine. Mitch grabs his gloved hand with his own and taps their helmets together, and John closes his eyes briefly to soak in the moment. It’s simple, but it’s also a reminder that they’re a team together, first and foremost, like a reminder that John _isn’t _doing this on his own, and that thought alone is enough to calm him.

John takes a deep breath before he takes that first step onto the ice to the roar from the fans in the arena he dreamed of playing for since he was a kid. He’s got a new jersey on his back, his wedding ring hanging from a chain around his neck, a brand new team that’s full of promise, and a new partner on and off the ice, who’ll stay with him for now and always and forever.

The future looks bright.

**Author's Note:**

> It's finally done! This was a battle to finish, but it's done and I'm so happy and relieved. One day, if I feel like writing about the rest of the team, I may actually write about John's first season with the team (or at least most of it) which was the plan all along, but the plans had to change for obvious reasons. I wrote a lot of snippets of them together that still mostly fit in this verse, and you can check them out in my tag for them on Tumblr [here](https://breakmystrings.tumblr.com/tagged/verse%3A-arranged-marriage-au/chrono) if you're interested. Thanks for reading, and thank you to everyone that's been encouraging me to finish this <3


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